Unions

By x363464 - May 16, 2013

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author’s.

In 1950, Chevron, General Motors, and Firestone were charged and convicted of criminal conspiracy for their part in the General Motors streetcar conspiracy. In this scandal they purchased streetcar systems all over the United States in order to disassemble the industry and create bus lines. They did this to increase the demand for petroleum, automobiles and tires so that they could directly receive business and profits from their scheme.  Later Chevron began investing in alternative industries such as lithium car batteries. Chevron began to be limiting access to large NiMH batteries through its control of patent licenses. Many suspect they did this to remove a competitor to gasoline and suspicions were affirmed when Chevron began a lawsuit against Panasonic and Toyota because they started producing EV-95 batteries for electric cars.

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From greensboroiww.org

Last week, the Greensboro IWW achieved a swift and valuable win that illustrated the power of solidarity and direct action. A branch member had been unjustly fired from his job at New York Pizza on Tate Street in Greensboro, North Carolina. This fellow worker was owed more than $1100, including unpaid overtime and off-the-clock work, as well as money that was improperly deducted from his pay for rejected food and register shortages.

On Monday, May 6th, this fellow worker, accompanied by another branch member, delivered a letter to the boss from the Greensboro IWW, demanding payment in full by Friday. The branch was prepared to leaflet and picket at the location if our fellow worker did not receive his wages in full.

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Scrap TWIC? GAO report slams port credential program

By Charlie Morasch, Land Line contributing writer

Truck drivers and others who work at U.S. ports have grumbled for years about the expenses and hassles of obtaining a Transportation Worker Identification Credential, or TWIC.

TWIC – a biometric security card capable of storing fingerprints, residency documents and other information – was designed to make ports and major warehouse areas less vulnerable to potential terrorists.

A federal investigative report released this week says the TWIC program’s efforts to implement a remote card reader system haven’t worked, and said Congress should consider scrapping the 10-year-old billion-dollar program altogether and starting over with a new credential.

The Government Accountability Office slammed TWIC in a 12-page statement released Thursday, May 9. The GAO listed eight weaknesses tied to TWIC’s remote reader program that port security could theoretically use to examine workers’ credentials. The statement also slammed TWIC generally.

GAO issued a report on TWIC to congress in 2009 that said Homeland Security “didn’t have a sound evaluation methodology to ensure information collected through the TWIC reader pilot would be complete and accurate.”

In 2011, GAO said the internal control weaknesses in the program’s enrollment, background checks and use “limit the program’s ability to provide reasonable assurance that access to secure areas … is restricted to qualified individuals.”
 Read the full article at Land Line

 

VOLUNTEER! Leaflet WSF Passengers to PASS the Transportation Revenue Package  Our members’ first leafleting of ferry passengers was very positively received.

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A 40-day strike of more than 500 dockworkers at the Port of Hong Kong ended yesterday with a settlement that included a 9.8 percent wage increase, non-retaliation against strikers, and a written agreement, all of which had been fiercely resisted by the four contractors targeted in the strike.

Strikers accepted the offer by a 90 percent vote.

The four contractors also agreed to work through the port manager Hong Kong International Terminal (HIT) to provide meal and toilet breaks, which had been lacking even for workers on 12- or 24-hour shifts. Crane operators laid off during the strike will be rehired.

Workers see HIT—owned by Li Ka-shing, one of the world’s wealthiest capitalists—as the real power at play, as the interview below demonstrates.

Though members of the Union of Hong Kong Dock Workers (UHKDW) had been holding to their demand for a double-digit wage increase, they had growing concerns about contractors’ use of scabs and the relative ease with which shippers could reroute from Hong Kong to the nearby mainland China port of Shenzhen. After the breakthrough accomplishment of forcing the contractors to negotiate, and clearly winning the battle of public opinion, strikers were ready to return to work.

The strike was notable in that dockworkers across multiple sub-contractors first self-organized, from the bottom up, before seeking affiliation for their union with the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU).

The political environment in Hong Kong allows inter-union competition between HKCTU and the pro-Beijing Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (HKFTU). Workers have the chance to see the differences between the HKFTU’s pro-corporate brand of unionism and the HKCTU’s anti-corporate stand—but are also caught between the antagonistic interests. During the strike, HKFTU carried to workers the employers’ low-ball wage-increase offer (5 percent). These negotiations exposed HKFTU’s relative illegitimacy.

The support of students, particularly through the group Left 21, was critical to engaging Hong Kong society as a whole. More than HK$8.5 million (US$1,105,000) was raised for a strike support fund which stood at only HK$30,000 (US$3,900) at the outset. Financial contributions and solidarity resolutions came from the West Coast longshore union in the U.S. (ILWU), the International Federation of Transport Workers, and transport workers unions in Japan, Australia, and the Netherlands.

Solidarity actions such as informational pickets, slow-downs, or rallies didn’t materialize, however—although in the U.S. and Canada, the Steelworkers were considering action at facilities owned by Husky Energy, a subsidiary of Li Ka-shing’s vast empire.

Interview with Hong Kong Dockworkers Leader

Stephen Philion, associate professor of sociology at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota, conducted this interview with the dockworkers union Secretary Wong Yu Loy last week in Hong Kong. Philion also translated.

The battle of the Hong Kong dockers, as union Secretary Wong Yu Loy reveals, was important not only because of the rarity of strikes in Hong Kong, or because it was a pitched battle with Hong Kong’s wealthiest corporate magnate, but also because of the way corporate globalization set up the terms of the battle and the importance unions around the globe attached to it.

As Wong suggests in the interview, the strike was followed closely and supported by labor activists and sympathizers in mainland China. The strike thus has potentially powerful implications for a global labor movement much in need of a sign that resistance to global capital remains not only relevant but possible.

Click here for more information and updates on the strike.

Q: To start with, what are the key issues that that have brought about the Hong Kong International Terminal (HIT) dockworkers’ strike?

Wong Yu Loy: Wages and workplace conditions. From 1995 to 2011 wages for stevedores had been constantly cut to the point where the wages were less than in 1995. In 2011 the union finally succeeded in securing a HK$200/day (US$26) wage increase, which still meant daily wages were HK$150 less per 24-hour shift than in 1995. As for crane drivers, they are paid much less if they are hired by subcontractors than by HIT directly.

This current conflict started brewing around March of last year. We attempted collective bargaining, sending a letter to all the terminals demanding a salary adjustment for workers across the industry, but this was met with rejection. We were basically ignored by the dock owner (Hong Kong International Terminals), a unit of multibillionaire and Asia’s wealthiest person Li Ka-shing’ s Hutchison Port Holdings Trust.

Subcontractors used various measures to repress the union, most notably insisting on direct negotiations with individual groups of workers. But from the outset dockworkers had insisted that negotiations be conducted with union representatives. These negotiations met with no success. Now, for the 10 years prior to 2011 there had been no wage adjustments, and it’s in the last year that the conflict reached a boiling point. Workers had waited a long time for changes and were frustrated with attempts by subcontractors’ strategy of negotiating with groups of 100, 200 workers. How do you conduct such negotiations?

 

Read the full interview at Labor Notes

From iww.org.uk

We, the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) want to express our deep concern and strong condemnation of the unfair dismissal of Oscar Alvarez, Union Representative of the IWW at the West Perivale garage.

Oscar Alvarez has been a London bus driver for 8 1/2 years. He reached the 10th position nationwide in Blackpool Best Bus Driver of the Year 2007 competition, which to date is still unbeaten by any Metroline driver. But Oscar’s sacking is far from being an isolated occurrence. This is part of an escalating wave of sackings on the buses over the last few years, which has seen all London bus companies imposing terrible contracts on new starters, often without union agreement or any serious attempt to fight this ‘race to the bottom’.

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By x356039 - May 2, 2013

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are not the official position of the IWW (or even the IWW’s EUC) and do not necessarily represent the views of anyone but the author’s.

In the accepted limits of debate in Washington and Wall Street the main argument by proponents of the fossil fuel industry is the same as its always been: do you want to protect the environment or create more jobs? They argue expanding fossil fuel exploitation, in spite of the proven risks to the environment and public health, is necessary for the sake of job creation. By building Keystone XL across the Great Plains, opening the Powder River Basin to coal interests, expanding offshore drilling, and opening up new lands to fracking the fossil fuel dinosaurs claim our economy will recover & energy independence will be achieved. When confronted with the facts on clean energy sources like wind and solar power fossil fuel proponents argue clean energy is too expensive. They claim it would not be cost-effective to build a green energy economy and that it would lead to a decline in standard of living.

Quite contrary to the boldest of claims made by those dinosaurs the facts show shifting to a clean energy economy would create more jobs, cost less money, and easily exceed all performance needs. Research by the Renewable & Appropriate Energy Laboratory at University of California, Berkeley shows the fossil fuel industry's claims of better job creation rates compared to green, clean energy are vastly overblown. As shown in this chart below renewable energy sources produce as many if not more jobs per megawatt of capacity as traditional dirty sources of electricity:

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Hong Kong port strike is over

Workers fighting for improved pay and decent working conditions at the Port of Hong Kong have voted to call off their industrial action after accepting an improved wage offer and promises of further negotiations on working conditions – as well as an assurance that there will be no retaliation against workers who participated in the strike. Fulldetails of the settlement are included in a statement from the Union of HongKong Dockers (UHKD) below.

Responding to the news, ITF president Paddy Crumlin commented: “The Union of Hong Kong Dockers, supported by the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions, has won a real victory: a pay rise and promises of continuing dialogue on working conditions and health and safety. Their bravery has been rewarded. We in the ITF and the wider union movement are proud to have been able to mobilise the international support they deserved and needed.”

He continued: “We trust that Hutchison Port Holdings will now address the issues around the dignity and working conditions of the workers at the port.”

Sharan Burrow, general secretary of the ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation), added: “This is an important result for the dock workers of Hong Kong. We congratulate them on their resilience and determination to get a fair deal, and we are proud to have been able to give international solidarity in their quest for justice at work.”

The Union of Hong Kong Dockers has issued the following statement:

Members of UHKD decided in the meeting held this evening to call an end to the 40-day strike in the HIT terminals.

 

Written confirmation of the new salary plan 2013-2014

On 6 May, UHKD received a written confirmation jointly signed by the four contractors of HIT, Everbest, Comcheung, Lem Wing and Pui Kee via the Labour Department. The four companies confirmed the new salary plan of 9.8% increase in the basic wage for all their employees at different works in Kwai Chung Container Terminals, effective for one year from 1 May 2013. In the workers’ meeting called by UHKD in the evening, members considered the written assurance by the four contractors with the Labour Department a stepforward compared to the verbal, unilateral announcement these companies made on 3 May. Although the strike has not secured a collective bargaining agreement with the employers, the 40-day industrial action has broken the “tradition” of unilateralism and succeeded in forcing the contractors to seal a written confirmation about the pay and working conditions. UHKD believes that this is the first step towards building a mechanism of communication and negotiation between the employers and the union representing a large section of the contractual workers in the Hong Kong terminals.

The four contractors’ written confirmation also gives details committing the employers to “improve the occupational safety and health protection with the terminal companies”, as well as providing the crane operators the right “to stop the machine to take lunch”, and “leave their workplace for toilet” as necessary. Members of UHKD consider that these concrete commitments are important basis for the union to further engage the contractors and HIT in good faith in the future.

Re-employment of the crane operators

While calling an end to the strike, the union is now working to assist the re-employment of its members, particularly the hundred crane operators employed by Global Stevedoring which announced its closure on 18 April. The union is pressing the Labour Department to negotiate with all the contractors for the soonest possible re-employment of these members.

Non-retaliation

UHKD will see to the end that the contractors abide by their promise of non-retaliation; and that none of its members will be penalized in the future for having taken part in the strike. The union willfollow up to demand the contractors and HIT for a mechanism to schedule therest and lunch breaks, enforce the safety and health provisions, review thesalary regularly and eventually establish a collective bargaining mechanismthat includes the contractual workers in the terminals.

Back-up from the community and international support

The passionate support and generous donations of the Hong Kong community, the international trade unions and organizations have helped us to sustain the strike for forty days. On behalf of our members, UHKD is thankful to all of you who have been giving us unwavering support. Together with you, we have demonstrated again the importance of workers’ unity in fighting not only for reasonable pay, but also our dignity and our future.

Collective bargaining is a must for Hong Kong trade unions

It is the time for Hong Kong SAR government to re-table the legislation on collective bargaining, scrapped by the government in 1997, in obligations under the ILO Convention No98. The working people in Hong Kong must have an internationally recognized mechanism on collective bargaining to ensure the right to fair negotiation of their working conditions and protection of the unions they belong to.

6 May 2013

Members of UHKD decided in the meeting held this evening to call an end to the 40-day strike in the HIT terminals.

On 6 May, UHKD received a written confirmation jointly signed by the four contractors of HIT, Everbest, Comcheung, Lem Wing and Pui Kee via the Labour Department. The four companies confirmed the new salary plan of 9.8% increase in the basic wage for all their employees at different works in the Kwai Chung Contrainer Terminals, effective for one year from 1 May 2013. In the workers’ meeting called by UHKD in the evening, members considered the written assurance by the four contractors with the Labour Department a step forward compared to the verbal, unilateral announcement these companies made on 3 May. Although the strike has not secured a collective bargaining agreement with the employers, the 40-day industrial action has broken the “tradition” of unilateralism and succeeded in forcing the contractors to seal a written confirmation about the pay and working conditions. UHKD believes that this is the first step towards building a mechanism of communication and negotiation between the employers and the union representing a large section of the contractual workers in the Hong Kong terminals.

The four contractors’ written confirmation also gives details committing the employers to “improve the occupational safety and health protection with the terminal companies”, as well as providing the crane operators the right “to stop the machine to take lunch freely”, and “leave their workplace for toilet”. Members of UHKD decide that these concrete commitments are important basis for the union to continue the engagement with the contractors and HIT in good faith in the future.

While calling an end to the strike, the union is now working to assist the re-employment of its members, particularly the hundred crane operators employed by Global Stevedoring which announced its closure on 18 April. The union is pressing the Labour Department to negotiate with all the contractors for the soonest possible re-employment of these members.

UHKD will see to the end that the contractors abide by their promise of non-retaliation; and that none of its members will be penalized in the future for having taken part in the strike. The union will follow up to demand the contractors and HIT for a mechanism to schedule the rest and lunch breaks, enforce the safety and health provisions, review the salary regularly and eventually establish a collective bargaining mechanism that includes the contractual workers in the terminals.

The passionate support and generous donations of the Hong Kong community, the international trade unions and organizations have helped us to sustain the strike for forty days. On behalf of our members, UHKD is thankful to all of you who have been giving us unwavering support. Together with you, we have demonstrated again the importance of workers’ unity in fighting not only for reasonable pay, but also our dignity and our future.

It is the time for Hong Kong SAR government to re-table the legislation on collective bargaining, scrapped by the government in 1997, in obligations under the ILO Convention No98. The working people in Hong Kong must have an internationally recognized mechanism on collective bargaining to ensure the right to fair negotiation of their working conditions and protection of the unions they belong to.

From the Columbian:

The action against members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union follows a lockout already under way at the Port of Vancouver by United Grain. The number of workers impacted by the lockout was not available.

Columbia Grain issued a statement early Saturday accusing workers of engaging in what it called “inside game tactics” – including slowdowns, work-to-rule, and demands for repeated inspections of the same equipment – “all designed to negatively impact Columbia Grain’s operations.”

Bruce Holte, president of ILWU Local 8, said Columbia hired replacement workers last fall, when talks were in early stages, showing that the company never intended to reach agreement.
“Unfortunately, Marubeni-Columbia Grain has done what it’s wanted to do all along, and locked out local workers who have made this company profitable for decades,” said Holte, who is also a Port of Portland commissioner. “Rather than reach a fair agreement, the company has hired an out-of-state strikebreaking firm, attorneys and a publicist to make allegations against local workers who simply want to do our jobs and support our community.”

More in the Columbian

Like Mitsui-owned United Grain in Vancouver, Marubeni-owned Columbia Grain profits from America’s farms, roads, railroads and public ports

PORTLAND, OR (May 4, 2013) – Washington and Oregon-based longshore workers who have exported grain from Portland since the 1930’s were locked out this morning by the current owner of the facility at Terminal 5, Japan-based Marubeni, which operates under the name Columbia Grain.

“Unfortunately, Marubeni-Columbia Grain has done what it’s wanted to do all along, and locked out local workers who have made this company profitable for decades,” said Bruce Holte, President of ILWU Local 8 who also serves as a Port of Portland Commissioner. “Rather than reach a fair agreement, the company has hired an out-of-state strikebreaking firm, attorneys and a publicist to make allegations against local workers who simply want to do our jobs and support our community.”

Holte said the company hired replacement workers last fall, while negotiations were still in the early stages, showing that the company never intended to reach an agreement.

“Northwest taxpayers invest in our roads and public ports to create good jobs, and here’s a profitable Japanese company spending enormous resources to take away good local jobs,” Holte said. “Marubeni is hurting the Northwest’s economy by putting local union workers out on the street instead of allowing us to go to work.”

The ILWU has worked since the 1930s under the Pacific Northwest Grain Handlers’ Agreement, which currently covers six grain terminals owned by:

 

• Japan-based Mitsui (United Grain in Vancouver)
• Japan-based Marubeni (Columbia Grain in Portland)
• Netherlands-based Louis Dreyfus Commodities (elevators in Seattle and Portland)
• US-based TEMCO, owned by Cargill and CHS (elevators in Tacoma, Kalama and Portland)

The Grain Handlers’ collective bargaining agreement expired on September 29, and all of the employers except Tacoma-TEMCO imposed a concessionary agreement in December that had been rejected by 94% in a union membership vote; TEMCO continued to negotiate with the ILWU and reached an agreement that was passed by the membership by a 74% yes vote and ratified in February.

About 500 members of ILWU Locals 8, 40 and 92 work at the Port of Portland’s grain, bulk, auto and container terminals.

The International Longshore and Warehouse Union represents 50,000 men and women on the docks and in other industries in Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada and Panama.

– ILWU Coast Longshore Division news release

On Thursday, May 2 the Sisters' Camelot managing collective posted a long public statement on the internet addressing the current standoff between them and our striking union of canvass workers. Their statement is full of inaccurate information. Below are the most egregious inaccuracies, each with a concise explanation of the truth.

1. Sisters' Camelot: “We operate as an egalitarian democracy where no one member has a larger voice than any other, and all participate equally in the decision-making process. Anyone in the in the community – including the canvassers – can become a member of our collective and therefore have a full voice in its operations.”

THE TRUTH: The collective has refused to allow some canvassers to join the collective when they showed interest. Other canvassers have decided the collective has been hostile towards them and the canvass in general. Many canvassers who have tried addressing canvass-related grievances through the collective process equate it to banging their head against a brick wall. Some canvassers are unable to attend Monday morning meetings because of obligations as parents, students, and workers at other jobs. The 6 collective members have hiring and firing power over us and the collective process has failed to address the grievances of canvassers, so we unionized to bring balance to the power dynamic in our workplace. Telling us to use the collective process is classic boss speak for telling workers they should go through pre-existing channels instead of unionizing.

2. SC: “After the group gave a list of demands (some, but not all, being reasonable), they gave the collective one hour to meet their demands. If not, they declared they would strike.”

THE TRUTH: In our first meeting with the managing collective after unionization, we (the union) carefully went through our demands and allowed them an hour to ask any clarifying questions about them. They chose to only ask a couple questions, using about 5 minutes worth of their allotted hour. Then we gave the collective another hour to discuss in private and expected negotiation to begin after that. We stated very clearly that we did not expect negotiations to finish that day; we just wanted them to move forward in good faith. We stated that we did not expect to get all of our demands; that many of them were flexible, and as long as negotiations went ahead in good faith we would not strike. The managing collective simply refused to negotiate with our union.

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Honoring George Cobbs: Local 10 pensioner George Cobbs (center) was presented with a bronze hook for his work
in establishing the ILWU-PMA Alcohol, Drug and Rehabilitation Program. “I’m just blessed that I was able to do something in life
to help other people,” Cobbs said. In the photo from left to right are: Coast Committeemen Ray Ortiz, Jr. and Leal Sundet,
George Cobbs, ILWU International President Bob McEllrath and Caucus Chair Joe Cortez.

Eighty-one delegates elected from Longshore, Clerk and Foremen Locals attended the Longshore Division Caucus that was convened in San Francisco from April 15-19. Among the key issues discussed were the ongoing lockout of grain handlers in Vancouver, WA; new technologies and mechanization; efforts to resolve the ongoing problems with ILWU-PMA Coastwise Indemnity Plan’s new third party administrator, Zenith-American Solutions; preparations for the 2014 Coastwise Longshore Contract negotiations; and international solidarity efforts as employers increase their attacks on wages and working conditions of dock workers around the world. Shortly after the Caucus started, delegates got word of the tragic bombing at the Boston Marathon. The Caucus paused for a moment of silence to honor those who were killed and injured by the brutal and senseless act of violence.

Health and Welfare

The Coast Committee reported on continued challenges in the area of health and welfare. In 2008 contract negotiations, the parties agreed to replace Cigna as the administrator of the ILWU-PMA Coastwise Claims Office (CCO) in San Francisco. After negotiations, a study was conducted regarding the feasibility of bringing the administration of the CCO in-house. PMA refused to bring this function in-house. A “request for proposal” (RFP) process was initiated in order to find a replacement for Cigna as required by 2008 negotiations. The field of potential third-party administrators was narrowed to two companies.

The Union moved to hire BeneSys, and the Employers moved to hire Zenith-American Solutions. This deadlock was arbitrated, and the Coast Arbitrator agreed with PMA over the strenuous objections of the Union Trustees. Zenith began operating as the new third-party administrator of the CCO on January 1, 2013, and problems with claims management were immediately evident.

In addition to having to find a new third-party administrator of the CCO to review and pay medical claims, the replacement of Cigna also required the parties to find a new Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) network in California – since Cigna refused to continue supplying the network if it would not be allowed to retain the contract to administer claims processing at the CCO. Since it became necessary to replace the Cigna network, the Union and the PMA Trustees directed the Welfare Plan Consultant (Milliman) to conduct a search for a new PPO network for California enrollees. After eliminating several companies due to mandatory pre-authorizations and less than adequate access to providers and facilities, it was agreed to select Blue Shield’s PPO network in California.

This company was selected because they had the largest network coverage for providers and facilities in the areas where members reside. Blue Shield is only providing a network of providers and facilities who agree to charge certain negotiated fees. These fees are negotiated and set in a process that is wholly independent of the Union and PMA. The ILWU/PMA Indemnity Plan remains a fully independent, non-profit organization run for the benefit of ILWU members and pensioners, and is not controlled by Blue Shield or any other private insurance company. Today’s problems of CCO management (review and payment of claims) is a problem associated with Zenith-American Solutions and not the Blue Shield of California PPO network.

At the Caucus, the Coast Committee and delegates had lengthy discussions about how to solve the now intolerable problem with PMA’s pick, Zenith. See the cover story about the April 9 protest outside of PMA headquarters in San Francisco.

New technology

The Clerk’s Technology Committee and Longshore Technology Committees made presentations that included updates on information technologies, remote off-dock control centers, and web portals that allow employers to control information flows in ways that undermine job security for all dock workers – not just Clerks. The Committee concluded their presentation by summarizing the challenges – and offering solutions for future consideration and action.

The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) is organizing a conference at the end of April on automation and new technologies in Sydney, Australia. Many ILWU officers and representatives from Longshore Division locals will attend the conference. The Dispatcher will have a full report in the next issue.

International solidarity Vice President Ray Familathe delivered the international relations report and introduced speakers General Secretary Joe Fleetwood of the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) and Assistant Branch Secretary Will Tracey from the Western Australia Branch of Maritime Union of Australia (MUAWA) which recently signed a solidarity agreement with ILWU Local 23.

“There’s a war on militant dock workers around the world by employers,” said Fleetwood. “All of us are under attack; the ILA and ILWU, the MUA and MUNZ, European and Hong Kong dockers. Why? Because of the good terms and conditions we work under, and because we aren’t afraid to fight.”

MUA-WA Asst. Branch Secretary Will Tracey discussed efforts by the MUA and other Australian labor unions to secure good paying jobs for Australian workers in the country’s mining and mineral development projects. He explained how companies are circumventing Australia’s visa system to undermine wages and working conditions in the country.

He pledged to support ILWU struggles and closed by saying: “We have a slogan in the MUA that is very similar to yours,” he said, pointing to his shirt that read, “Touch one, touch all!”

International Vice President (Mainland) Ray Familathe gave an update on the ITF meetings in London he attended immediately before arriving at the Caucus in San Francisco in order to spread the word about the grain handlers lockout in Vancouver, WA to the 4.5 million

ITF affiliated-transport workers around the world. The ITF sent out an e-mail bulletin to their affiliates about the lockout that generated 6,000 letters of protest to Mitsui within 24 hours from around the world.

Familathe also reported on a recent trip to Peru where he chaired a meeting of the ITF’s Latin American Dockers Section meeting. He said that the privatization of Latin American ports is stripping the rights of dock workers throughout the region and driving down wages and working conditions.

The Caucus passed a resolution standing in solidarity with ITF-affiliated dock workers in El Salvador, STIPES, who are struggling against a proposed privatization scheme that would threaten their right to exist as a union.

Solidarity with Hong Kong Dockers

International President Bob McEllrath introduced a motion for the Longshore Division to donate $20,000 to support the Hong Kong dock workers who have been on strike for several weeks at the world’s third busiest port. The resolution passed unanimously.

The dockers are striking for fair wages, better working conditions and the right to form a union. They currently earn about $90 for a double shift which is less then they earned in 1997. Crane operators work 12-hour shifts during which they aren’t able to leave their cranes, even to use the bathroom. President McEllrath and Vice President Familathe met with the Hong Kong dockers on a recent trip to China.

The ITF has had a 4-year campaign to pressure the terminal operator, Hong Kong International Terminals (HIT), to recognize the collective bargaining rights of the dockers. HIT is a subsidiary of Hutchison Port Holdings Trust, which is part of Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. That company is owned by billionaire Li Ka-shing – one of the richest men in the world.

Honors for George Cobbs

Caucus delegates gave special recognition to ILWU Local 10 pensioner George Cobbs for his work in establishing the ILWU’s Alcohol, Drug and Rehab (ADRP) program, noting that he has been instrumental in making the program a success.

“The ADRP program has saved the lives of a lot of people,” said Local 63 President Mike Podue. “From the families that you brought back together, there are not enough words of gratitude and ways to express what you have done for this union.”

Other resolutions passed by the Caucus included $100,000 allocated for the James R. Herman Memorial Advisory Committee that will oversee the design, creation and maintenance of a memorial for the former ILWU International President who succeeded Harry Bridges, serving from 1977 to 1991. San Francisco’s Pier 27 cruise ship terminal will be named in Herman’s honor.

Funding of $60,000 in each of the next two years was approved for the Labor Archive of Washington State University which has become an invaluable resource for the preserving labor history. Approval for up to $100,000 a year was approved for after-school activities at the Harry Bridges Span School in Wilmington, CA. Delegates also approved a resolution sponsored by Bay Area locals allocating $7,500 for events related to the 150th Anniversary of the Port of San Francisco.

Battling blood cancers

Local 13 delegate Dan Imbagliazzo introduced guest speaker Michael Guglielmo, who is the donor recruitment coordinator for DKMS, a non-profit organization dedicated to expanding the nation’s base of blood marrow donors. The effort will save the lives of those stricken with blood cancers, including leukemia. Guglielmo took up the cause when his own son, Giovanni, struggled five years with the disease that finally took his life in April of 2012. Guglielmo will be working with Imbagliazzo and ILWU locals to organize a Coast-wide registration drive for potential blood marrow donors. More information about DKMS can be found at http://www.deletebloodcancer.org/

As The Dispatcher goes to press, Hong Kong dockworkers are approaching the first month of a strike for better pay and working conditions. The Union of Hong Kong Dockers is squaring-off against one of China’s wealthiest and most powerful tycoons: Li Ka-shing, owner of HutchisonWhampoa, Hutchison Port Holdings, and Hong Kong International Terminals.

The Hong Kong dockers are mobilizing within their own ranks and reaching out to win public support. On April 6, 4,000 marched and rallied outside Hutchison’s headquarters in Hong Kong with family members, union supporters, students, community members and representatives from the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF). Two days later, ITF President and Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) National Secretary Paddy Crumlin was walking on the picket line and meeting with union leaders to coordinate international solidarity. Within a week a delegation of MUA dockers arrived from Australia to lend their support. On April 17, the Hong Kong strike leaders presented a report to the ITF Dockers Section meeting in London, attended by

ILWU Vice President (Mainland) Ray Familathe who also serves as 2nd Vice Chair of the ITF Dockers Section. Familathe immediately flew back to attend the conclusion of the ILWU Longshore Caucus meeting in San Francisco where he updated delegates on the Hong Kong struggle and other international developments.

ILWU International President Bob McEllrath presented a motion to Caucus delegates for a $20,000 contribution to help the Hong Kong dockers which was unanimously adopted.

On April 22, workers at Hong Kong International Terminals agreed to end a “work-to-rule” campaign after their employer finally agreed to pay an overtime rate of 140%. The strikers, most of whom are subcontracted employees, are still refusing to work until Hutchison agrees to better pay and basic improvements that include bathroom breaks.

On April 25, efforts by Hutchison to secure an injunction banning demonstrators outside their headquarters was rejected by the court. The Dispatcher will follow this story and provide an update in the next issue.

Protest at the PMA: A busload of ILWU members and pensioners from Local 13 drove all night to protest at PMA headquarters on the morning of April 9. They were joined by Pensioners and members of ILWU Locals 10, 34, 75 and 91.

Dozens of longshore workers joined with ILWU officers on the morning of April 9 in San Francisco to tell waterfront employers: “Stop fooling around with our health benefits and start paying our medical claims!” Dozens of Local 13 members made their point by travelling all night on a bus from the Los Angeles harbor area to the headquarters of the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) on Market Street in San Francisco where they were met by Pensioners and members of ILWU Locals 10, 34, 75 and 91.

ILWU International officers, Coast Committeemen, Coast Benefits staff and local officers greeted members as they arrived and thanked everyone for joining the protest.

“Members and pensioners have every right to be fed-up with all these delays and denials when it comes to paying legitimate medical bills,” said ILWU International President Bob McEllrath who mingled with members in front of the PMA headquarters. “We won’t tolerate any members or pensioners being abused by a claims processing company that can’t do their job properly.”

McEllrath then led a delegation of ILWU officers up to the third floor of a high-rise office building where PMA executives were braced inside with officials from Zenith American Solutions, the controversial claims processing company that was handpicked by the PMA and sanctioned by the Coast Arbitrator, over the vehement objections of the ILWU. The company that the Union Trustees wanted to select to replace CIGNA for processing medical claims had a much better reputation for working well with Taft-Hartley Healthcare Plans, according to Coast Benefits Specialist John Castanho. He said the problems ILWU members are currently experiencing with claims processing are the same issues that have been experienced by other healthcare plans managed by Zenith in the past.

In the meeting inside PMA’s office, ILWU officials confronted PMA and Zenith executives, demanding that they end the delays and red tape that have frustrated so many families because of unpaid or delayed medical bills. As ILWU officials pressured Zenith and PMA on the inside, members outside grew restless. At one point a large group of ILWU members left the plaza and headed up to PMA’s offices where they filled the hallway, making their presence known, and sent company officials scurrying in response to the commotion.

The protesting members eventually left the PMA office entrance after making their point, as did ILWU officials after several hours of meeting to demand action steps by Zenith to address the claims processing problem.

By the end of the meeting, it was agreed that Zenith would deploy more staff and send a delegation of claims processors to meet in person with concerned ILWU members and pensioners at Local 13’s dispatch hall.

“We intend to hold the PMA and Zenith accountable and take care of the mess they created for so many of our families with unpaid medical bills,” said ILWU Local 13 President Chris Viramontes. “Having all that pressure on the inside and outside made a difference on April 9.”

When Zenith claims processors came to the Local 13 hall in mid-April, they got an earful from angry members with unpaid medical bills, some of whom brought piles and files of unpaid bills with them. Local 13 member and Caucus Delegate Frank Ponce De Leon had firsthand experience with the frustration caused by Zenith’s bungling of his family’s medical bills.

“My son needed an important operation that generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills that Zenith refused to pay,” he explained, noting that some of the bills were heading to collection agencies that could compromise his credit rating.

“It’s a mess that has to be straightened-out fast,” he said. De Leon got his chance to keep up the pressure because he was one of 81 Longshore Caucus delegates who met in San Francisco on April 15-19, where they discussed plans to keep pushing PMA and Zenith to fix the problems and pay members’ medical claims.

According to Dan Imbagliazzo, Southern California Area Representative for the Coast Welfare and Pension Benefits Committee, the problem started when employers chose Zenith to handle claims processing for the ILWU-PMA Coastwise Indemnity Plan.

The union wanted another company to do the job, but PMA refused, so the matter had to be resolved by Coast Arbitrator John Kagel who sided with the company’s preference for Zenith. Imbagliazzo says he has received many reports that Zenith lacked enough staff to handle the claims for ILWU members and Pensioners. “That’s something they promised to fix, but people want to see more results and fewer promises from Zenith,” he said.

Local and International union officials will be monitoring Zenith’s work to see if there are signs of progress or further problems. Earlier this month, President McEllrath asked International Vice President Ray Familathe and Coast Committeeman Ray Ortiz, Jr., to attend Local 13’s “stop-work” meeting so they could gather the concerns of members. Familathe and Ortiz, Jr., listened respectfully as many members came forward to voice their complaints and frustrations with medical bills that were not being paid by Zenith.

“The PMA is responsible for fixing this mess and we intend to hold their feet to the fire,” said President McEllrath.

Local 13 Pensioner Manuel Torres

ILWU Local 13 pensioner Manuel Torres is a decorated World War II veteran. He received the Combat INF Badge, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, WW II Victory Medal, Asia Pacific Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and Occupation of Japan Medal. He never received his Bronze Star from the military and his other medals were destroyed in a house fire years ago.

In March 2012, Torres was attending a memorial service and ran into Congresswoman Janice Hahn who represents the Southern California Harbor- area and he told her about the lost medals. Earlier this year at Representative Hahn’s victory celebration, Manuel was presented with all of the medals he earned for his military service.

In early 1944, Manuel was a student at San Pedro High School. He, along with other students were met by members of the Selective Service and directed to report for induction into the US Army. Manuel Torres had been drafted and was soon on a bus to Camp Roberts for basic training.

After completing basic training, he spent a few days at home before waving good bye to his mother and father at Union Station in Los Angeles. That was the last time he saw his father, who passed away a short time later.

Torres boarded a troop transport in San Francisco that was bound for the Philippines for an assault to retake the islands. Torres’s first order was to give up his M1 rifle for a Tommy Gun and become the forward scout. His actions in this operation earned him the Bronze Star in Leyte. He received the Purple Heart for injuries in Luzon. After recovering in Manila, Torres was deployed to other Pacific Islands and then to Tokyo Bay where he witnessed the signing of the Japanese surrender and the end of the Second World War.

Even in retirement, Manuel remains an active part of the ILWU as a dedicated member of the Southern California Pensioners Club.

Well done, Sargent.

– Jerry Garretson, Southern California Pensioners.

Active and retired longshore families in the ports where members have a choice can change medical and/or dental plans during the Open Enrollment period

May 1 to May 31, 2013. The change will be effective July 1, 2013. In addition to the May Open Enrollment period, members may change their medical plan and/ or dental plan once at any time during the Plan Year (July 1-June 30).

The July 1, 2008 Memorandum of Understanding between the IL WU and PMA provides that new registrants in the ports where members have a choice of medical plans shall be assigned Kaiser HMO Plan or Group Health Cooperative HMO Plan for the first 24 months of registration. After 24 months, those registrants who have qualified for continued eligibility under the Mid-Year/Annual Review hour’s requirement will have a choice of medical plans. New registrants in San Francisco, Sacramento, Stockton, Los Angeles, Portland/Vancouver and Washington will have a choice of dental plans on the first of the month following registration, and may change dental plans during the Open Enrollment period and one additional time during the Plan Year.

MEDICAL CHOICE: The medical plan choices are Kaiser Foundation Health Plan or the IL WU-PMA Coastwise Indemnity Plan for Southern California Locals 13, 26,

29, 46, 63 and 94; Northern California Locals 10, 18, 34 (San Francisco), 34 (Stockton), 54, 75 and 91; and Oregon-Columbia River Locals 4, 8, 40, and 92. In the Washington State area, the medical plan choices for Locals 19, 23, 32, 47, 52 and 98 are Group Health Cooperative or the IL WU-PMA Coastwise Indemnity Plan.

DENTAL CHOICE: For Los Angeles Locals 13, 26, 63 and 94 the dental plan choices are Delta Dental of California, Harbor Dental Associates or Dental Health Services.

For Southern California Locals 29 and 46 the dental plan choices are Delta Dental of California or Dental Health Services. For San Francisco Locals 10, 34, 75 and 91 the dental plan choices are Delta Dental of California, Dental Health Services, or Gentle Dental San Francisco. For Sacramento and Stockton Locals 18, 34 and 54 the dental plan choices are Delta Dental of California or Dental Health Services. For Portland/Vancouver Locals 4, 8, 40 and 92 the dental plan choices are LifeMap-Willamette Dental, Oregon Kaiser Dental Plan or Oregon/Washington Dental Service. For Washington Locals 7, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25, 27, 32, 47, 51, 52 and 98 the dental plan choices are Washington Dental Service or Dental Health Services.

Information on the medical and dental plans, and forms to change plans, can be obtained at the Locals and the IL WU-PMA Benefit Plans office.

All Medical and Dental Program Choice Forms and enrollment forms, as applicable, must be completed and received by the Benefit Plans office by May 31

for the enrollment change to be effective July 1.

Fellow Workers and Friends: the IWW bids the workers of the world everywhere a happy May Day, International Workers Day!

There are likely May Day events happening in your community or a community near you!

We cannot (yet) hope to keep track of or list them all, but we're doing the best we can.

One good central resource is our Facebook Page, where we have attempted to share any May Day events organized or endorsed by various IWW branches, and--failing that--events in which IWW members are actively participating.

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Headlines:

• IWW Liquor Store Workers Fired For Union Activity
• Sisters’ Camelot Workers Continue Strike
• Star Tickets Workers Face Retaliation

Features:

• The Struggle Continues In Wisconsin: Two Years And Counting
• May Day Special: The Global Fightback Against Austerity
• The IWW And Earth First!: Establishing Roots

Download a Free PDF of this issue.

Happy May Day, Fellow Workers!